Scrapped world cruise costs P&O £26.25m

The cost of scrapping the world cruise of P&O’s troubled ship Aurora – host of the annual HR Forum – has risen to £26.25m, it was revealed yesterday.

P&O parent company Carnival originally said the cancellation of the 103-day cruise, because of propulsion problems, would cost about £22m. But the company said that estimate has increased as the £200m Aurora will not be used for any replacement cruises.

The ship is undergoing 10 weeks of work in Germany before her next scheduled cruise begins on 22 April – less than a month before the HR Forum begins on 11 May.

Last month, the organisers of the HR Forum told Personnel Today that the event will go ahead as planned, despite the problems with the Aurora.

Jessica Whysall, project manager at Richmond Events, said the liner’s problems would not affect the event.

“By May the ship will be fixed, and as far as we know, P&O will not be taking it out of service,” she said.